Open gutter

ABSTRACT

A NOVEL OPEN GUTTER OR DRAIN FOR DIVERTING LIUQIDS IS DISCLOSED, SAID GUTTER BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE PROVISION OF A FOIL STRIP WHICH IS REGIDLY CONNECTED WITH AT LEAST ONE REINFORCING ELEMENT. THE FOIL STRIP IS DEFORMED ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS THUS BENDING THE REINFORCING ELEMENT, THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE GUTTER SO FORMED BEING ARCUATE IN SHAPE. THE NOVEL OPEN GUTTER IS SUCH THAT IT CAN EASILY BE DISPLACED IN ALL DIRECTIONS WITHOUT EFFECTING A CHANGE IN ITS CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION.

Nov. 16., 1971 s. SENN 3,620,024

OPEN CUTTER Filed Sept. 16. 1969 Fig. l-

Fig. 3

INVENT OR 650:6 Jew ATTORNEY;

United States Patent 3,620,024 OPEN GUTTER Georg Senn, Mutschellen, Switzerland, assignor to Spribag AG, Widen, Switzerland Filed Sept. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 858,421 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 26, 1968,

Int. Cl. E0211 9/04; E04d 13/06 US. C]. 61-14 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to drains and particularly concerns an open gutter for diverting or draining-off liquids.

In water-proofing tunnels and the like, it is necessary todivert or drain off water which penetrates through the porous rocks or bricks comprising the tunnel walls. Specifically, it has been the practice to divert or drain water from leaks or other passage openings in the tunnel wall via a. canal or tunnel system actually disposed along the surface of the wall, such collected water being led to a drainage canal disposed on the floor of the tunnel. Difliculties, however, arise, when conventional gutters are emplaced along the irregularly shaped tunnel wall surfaces since conventional gutters generally lack flexibility. Even with expensive techniques, prior-art gutters can be made only slightly flexible which alleviates, though does not eliminate this problem. Accordingly, depressions and irregularities in tunnel wall surfaces oftentimes must be leveled or smoothed by filling the depressions, for example, with cement or the like. Only in this fashion has it been possible to obtain a closed, tight connection between the gutter and the tunnel wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an open gutter or drain which can easily be emplaced along irregularly shaped wall surfaces. It is a primary object of the instant invention to satisfy this need. Further, more specific, yet equally important objects of the instant invention are the provision of open gutters which can easily be manually bent or deformed in all directions without resort being made to mechanical aids whereby the open gutter, when emplaced along a wall of rocks and the like, can adjust to all irregularities thereof.

These objects as well as other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds are implemented by the novel inventive gutter for diverting or draining liquids which is characterized by the provision of a foil strip rigidly coupled to a reinforcing element such as a steel Wire, the foil strip being deformed about its longitudinal axis so as to define an arouate cross-section, this cross-section being reinforced by the reinforcing element. In this manner, the open gutter can easily be bent or deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section. Actual emplacement of the gutter on the wall of a tunnel, for example, is effected by imbedding such gutter in concrete or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF .THE DRAWINGS The invention itself will be better understood and further advantageous features thereof will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred inventi-ve embodiments, such description referring to the appended sheet of drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a top plan view illustrating a portion of a gutter constructed in accordance with the instant invention having a zig-zag shaped reinforcing element;

FIG. 2 depicts the cross-section of a gutter constructed in accordance with FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 depicts a top plan view of an alternative inventive embodiment, such view illustrating a portion of a gutter having numerous individual reinforcing elements which extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strip comprising the gutter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS Now, referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a gutter constructed in accordance with the instant invention can be seen to include a PVC foil 2 upon which is placed a zig-zag like reinforcing element preferably comprising a continuous PVC-coated steel wire 1. The steel wire 1 and the foil 2 are preferably welded together by heating. Subsequently, the foil strip as now reinforced is circularly bent about its longitudinal axis into an arcuate cross-section with upturned edges as illustrated in FIG. 2, such that the wire 1 comprising the reinforcing element is permanently deformed, insuring an unchanged cross-section of the gutter. As will be noted, the zig-zag line of the reinforcing wire 1 runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the gutter foil strip with transverse reinforcing portions yet does not traverse the entire width of the foil strip. In this manner, an edge or marginal strip 3 remains for securing the inventive gutter to a wall. As should be appreciated, by virtue of this novel construction, the gutter so produced is flexible or deformable in all directions.

Referring to FIG. 3, a modified gutter constructed in accordance with the instant invention is depicted and will likewise be seen to consist of a foil strip 2. In this embodiment, however, a plurality of reinforcing elements 4 are provided, these reinforcing elements extending transverse to the direction of the strip but only over a portion of the width thereof to thus leave an edge strip for securing the gutter as was the case with the embodiment of FIG. 1. The plurality of reinforcing elements or portions 4 are preferably disposed at approximately the same distance from one another and are rigidly connected to the foil strip either on the interior and/or the exterior side of the gutter by welding or adhesive bonding, for example. Subseouently, the foil strip is circularly bent about its longitudinal axis into the cross-sectional configuration of a gutter. As should be appreciated, the modified embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3 likewise exhibits flexibility in all directions, this flexibility being achieved by the flexibility of the foil itself and its unchanged cross-section insured by the permanent deformation of reinforcing elements 4 and the inwardly directed reinforcement free spaces extending from the edges.

Now in order to seal off a tunnel wall or a rock wall in general a rapidly hardening sealing layer is first applied upon the wall of rocks As a result, the smaller water passage openings or leaks are immediately closed. A gutter constructed in accordance with the instant invention is thereafter placed over the larger water passage openings or leaks and is adjusted to the irregularities of the tunnel wall surface. The gutter then leads to -a drainage canal disposed on the tunnel base or floor. The novel g tter is secured to the first sealing layer via a bonding or adhesive means. After the tunnel wall has been drained and dried in this manner, a further mortar or cement layer is applied over the first sealing layer as well as the gutter or gutters, respectively, This additional mortar layer is of such thickness that the gutters utilized are completely covered and embedded.

As should now be apparent, the object's initially set forth at the outset to the specification have been successfully achieved.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

1. An elongated open gutter for diverting or draining liquids, said gutter comprising a relatively flexible foil strip to which is rigidly connected at least one reinforcing means extending along the length of the gutter, said strip and said reinforcing means being deformed into the crosssection of a gutter with upturned edges and open at its top with said means reinforcing said cross-section predominantly in a direction transverse to its longitudinal direction with substantially reinforcement free spaces along said edges, whereby said gutter can easily be deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section.

2. An open gutter as defined in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing means comprising a continuous wire extending in a zig-zag line on said foil strip and being rigidly connected thereto, said wire being deformed transversely to the longitudinal direction of said strip into the shape of the gutter cross-section.

3. An open gutter as defined in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing means comprises a plurality of individual reinforcing elements deformed in the shape of the gutter cross-section, said reinforcing elements being spaced at approximately the same distance from one another and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of said strip.

4. An open gutter as defined in claim 1, wherein said gutter cross-section is arcuate.

5. An open gutter for diverting or draining liquids, said gutter comprising a foil strip to which is rigidly connected at least one reinforcing element, said strip being deformed into the cross-section of a gutter open at its top with said element reinforcing said cross-section predominantly in a direction transverse to its longitudinal direction, whereby said gutter can easily be deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section, said reinforcing element extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of said strip extending only over a portion of the width of the strip, to thus provide flexible marginal strip portions for securing the gutter to a supporting surface.

6. An open gutter for diverting or draining liquids, said gutter comprising a foil strip to which is rigidly connected at least one reinforcing element, said strip being deformed into the cross-section of a gutter open at its top with said element reinforcing said cross-section predominantly in a direction transverse to its longitudinal direction, whereby said gutter can easily be deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section, said foil strip being rigidly connected to a plurality of individual reinforcing elements deformed in the shape of the gutter cross-section, said reinforcing elements being spaced at approximately the same distance from one another and extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of said strip, said reinforcing elements being disposed transverse to the longitudinal direction of said strip extend only over a portion of the width of the strip, to thus provide flexible marginal strip portions for securing the gutter to a supporting surface.

7. An open gutter for diverting or draining liquids, said gutter comprising a foil strip to which is rigidly connected at least one reinforcing element, said strip being deformed into the cross-section of a gutter open at its top wth said element reinforcing said cross section predominantly in a direction transverse to its longitudinal direction, whereby said gutter can easily be deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section, said foil strip comprising PVC foil and said reinforcing element including a PVC coating, said strip and reinforcing element being welded together.

8. An open gutter for diverting or draining liquids, said gutter comprising a foil strip to which is rigidly connected at least one reinforcing element, said strip being deformed into the cross-section of a gutter with said element reinforcing said cross-section, whereby said gutter can easily be deformed in all directions without effecting a change in its cross-section, said reinforcement element comprising a continuous wire extending in a zig-zag line on said foil strip and being rigidly connected thereto, said wire being deformed transversely to the longitudinal direction of said strip into the shape of the gutter cross-section, said foil strip comprising PVC foil and wherein said reinforcing element includes a PVC coating, said strip and reinforcing element being welded together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,5l3,673 10/1924 Pearson 61-l4 3,169,552 2/1965 Fawick 138-174 X 3,451,169 6/1969 Arnold 52-716 X JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 521l; 138127 

